Scoliosis
by gryfndrprefct347
Summary: The abnormal lateral curve in the spinal column... This is what changed Hermione Granger's life forever. When Hermione needs surgery, who will be there to help her on the road to recovery? R/Hr
1. Chapter 1

**Just thought I'd post this story because it is what I had to go through three months ago. I had scoliosis surgery three weeks before Christmas. I am still recovering, but it made me realize just how much your friends' support can mean to you. Confused? Don't worry, I'll explain what scoliosis is later in the story.**

**Disclaimer: Do I even need to say it? I don't own Harry Potter, blah, blah, blah, JK Rowling does…**

Hospitals.

Ugh.

She hated them. Both muggle and wizarding. It made no difference to her. Hospitals were just a sign of sadness and despair. That, and their perfection…utter perfection. With their sterile white hallways and their unexplainable cleanliness a person couldn't help but feel nervous inside them.

Unfortunately, Hermione Granger had gotten the pleasure of spending four hours in her parents' favorite muggle hospital. She had gone in expecting her annual appointment to take less than an hour. However, nothing was ever just simple for Hermione…

It was a bright winter day, about three weeks before Christmas, when Hermione's world came crashing down around her. She'd been sitting in the waiting room in her physician's office after having a few X-rays done. Her doctor came out of the lab and told her that she had scoliosis. 

Hermione didn't know exactly what scoliosis was, but when her physician brought up the fact that surgery was necessary, she realized just how severe it really was. She couldn't help but let a small sob escape her lips as tears began to form in the corners of her chocolate brown eyes. _Come on! _She thought to herself, _You've been through worse than this! You've been through VOLDEMORT, for Merlin's sake! You can handle a little surgery!_

She had to get a few more X-rays taken and her parents scheduled her for surgery…in one week! The thought of it was terrifying, especially right before Christmas, but she knew she had to be strong…if not only so she could recover quickly and spend Christmas with Ron...

After leaving the hospital, Hermione wanted nothing more than to apparate directly to the Burrow to see Ron, but her parents had insisted that she drive home with them first and then she could floo over to Ron's. Although she didn't particularly like the idea, she reluctantly agreed.

Seconds after she got home, she rushed over to the fireplace, said a quick goodbye to her parents, and stepped into the emerald flames, yelling, "The Burrow!"

She came whirling out of the Weasley's fireplace quickly and found herself face-to-face with Mrs. Weasley. Her face turned red and she muttered a quick hello to her before running up the stairs to Ron's bedroom. By this time, she had tears running down her panic-stricken face.

Ron had been in his room, sleeping, after returning from a rather draining night at Auror training. He was wearing nothing but a pair of Chudley Cannons boxers and had been sleeping quite peacefully, that is, until Hermione burst into his room and jumped on top of him, urgently pressing her lips to his.

His eyes snapped open as he felt her body pressed up against his. He could get used to waking up like this everyday. He responded eagerly, entwining his tongue with hers. He wrapped one hand around the small of her back and the other reached up to her curly, brown hair.

"Merlin, Mione! What a way to wake a bloke up!" laughed Ron, jokingly, as he pulled away from the kiss. The smile quickly dropped off his face when he saw that she was crying. "Mione! Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Her red, puffy eyes met his sparkling blues ones as she tried to talk. "Ron- it's just- oh, Ron!" she cried. He sat up and pulled her close to him, forgetting to be embarrassed that he was half-naked in front of her.

"Shhh…Mione, s'okay. I'm here. I'll always be here for you. What's wrong, sweetheart?" He gave her a minute just to cry into his chest. He knew at that moment, as he had for several years, that he loved her and needed her, even if he hadn't told her that yet.

He gently wiped her tears away and kissed her softlyon the forehead. This was the side of him that Hermione truly loved…the side that would just be there for her…forever.

"R-Ron, I-I have t-t-to have surgery! Back surgery, Ron! I'm just so-so s-scared!" she finally choked out.

"Mione, it's okay. Nothing's going to happen to you. I'll be right by your side the whole time. Anything you need me to do for you…I'll do it. I'm here for you, luv," he whispered, taking her small hand in his.

After a few minutes of silence, Hermione asked, "Ron, do you-er, do you think I could sleep with you? I know it's almost noon, but I'm exceptionally tired. You don't think your mum will mind, do you? I-I just want to feel safe in your arms…"

"Of course, Mione," he said. He pulled back the Chudley Cannons quilt that covered his bed, allowing her to get in. She quickly slid her trainers off and snuggled up to his side.

"Thank you, Ronald."

The next day, Hermione was sitting in the corner of Ron's room, much like she was before they had left on the Horcrux hunt. She and Ron had decided that the best way to get over her nerves was to learn about what scoliosis actually was, so she had been reading through several different medical books that she had borrowed from the muggle library.

"So, er, Hermione," Ron began. It was quite easy to tell that he was nervous about what he was about to ask her. "Can you- I mean, what- what exactly _is_ scoliosis? I mean…what happened, why do you have to- er- you know, have surgery? I don't like the way those muggles think…honestly, who would ever want to cut open a person?"

"Well, from what I've found out so far…scoliosis is an abnormal lateral curve to the vertebral column."

"Er…what?"

"When your spine goes all curvy, Ronald." She said exasperatedly. She pulled her jumper off, exposing her back to him. She was wearing just a thin camisole, and it wasn't hiding much. Ron blushed and started to get a mild reaction- just from looking at her back like that! He did his best to cover his "annoying little problem" and looked at her back with a polite curiosity. 

She bent slightly forward and _then_ he could see it. The entire right side of her back was a good 5 centimeters higher than the left. He couldn't help but let out a small gasp. "Does- does it hurt?"

"No, that's just it, I didn't even realize it was there," she said, pulling her jumper back over her head. "That's why it got so bad. I have a 70 degree curve in my back. According to this book…any curve that is over 20 degrees requires medical attention. Ron, I'm just so terrified. There's a 10 percent chance of me getting paralyzed and never being able to walk again. What if that happens to me? What if something goes wrong? What if-"

He silenced her with a kiss. "Everything will be fine, Hermione. These healers know what they're doing. Don't worry."

"Ron, how can I not be worried about someone putting 2 18-inch titanium rods in my back! That's awful!"

He pulled her back onto his bed and into a hug. "I'll be there with you next week…I'll never leave your side."

The rest of the week flew by, Hermione's nerves growing each day. When the day of her surgery was upon them at last, she and her parents drove to the hospital along with Ron, who was gripping her hand tightly and whispering comforting words to her the whole way there.

They entered the hospital and went up to the seventh floor, where Hermione's surgery would take place. Her parents signed some last-minute forms, and then they entered Hermione's hospital room. Her nurse came in and gave Hermione a hospital gown to put on. The nurse then scrubbed Hermione's back with some foul-smelling, orange soap. Hermione was then put on an IV (at this point, Ron had to look away) and then it was time for her to be led down to surgery.

Just before they wheeled Hermione away, she gave each of her parents a kiss on the cheek. She then turned to Ron and gave him a kiss full of passion. Who cared if her parent were watching? She loved him, and that is just what she said. "I love you, Ron."

"I love you too, Mione."

And with that, she was wheeled off to surgery.

**Pretty Please Review!! I should have the next chapter posted in a couple days, depends on the response I get! **

**Thanks for Reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Waiting was the worst part for Ron

Waiting was the worst part for Ron. The surgery took 6 hours. He paced around the waiting room. It had killed him to see her in that fragile state, but he had said it. He had told Hermione that he loved her.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked apprehensive; to say the least…Hermione was their only daughter, after all.

As the last few seconds ticked by, the surgeon came into the waiting room. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger?" he asked. "Your daughter has been brought to the intensive care ward. The surgery didn't go as well as planned, but as of this moment, she is in a stable condition. You may go see if you wish."

Mr. Granger shook hands with the doctor and all three of them rushed back to Hermione's room.

Ron gave Hermione's parents time to visit their still-unconscious daughter while he waited patiently in the hallway.

Ron looked through the window into Hermione's room. He looked at her fragile form lying still on the hospital bed. He hated to see her like this. He wanted to go over to her side and take her hand in his. He wanted to tell her everything would be alright…

He wouldn't be allowed in to see her…family only, the nurse had said.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open as Mrs. Granger kissed her softly on the forehead. "Ron?" she asked, groggily.

"No, sweetie, it's mum."

Hermione closed her eyes, all she really wanted was Ron. The thing she wanted most was for them to be able to have a life together. You see, she didn't remember anything he had said to her right before the surgery. She didn't know that he loved her. She figured that if he didn't love her the way she loved him, there wasn't a point to live. Hermione Granger had given up hope.

All he wanted was her. He thought she knew. If only he knew that he was the one keeping her from getting better. If only he knew…

--

The next week passed slowly…Ron hadn't left the hospital once, not even for a Chudley Cannons game. Hermione wasn't recovering as fast as the doctors thought she would have. She still wasn't able to get out of bed.

Her parents must have decided that they didn't want Ron waiting in the hallway forever, because they tried to persuade him into going home. Needless to say, he refused. When her condition began to decrease, he practically begged to be allowed into the room, but had no luck.

One day, about a week and a half after the surgery, two days before Christmas, the Grangers began to give up hope…their daughter couldn't keep her eyes open for more than 5 minutes at a time, and it didn't look as if she had much hope anymore. No matter how much they wanted to stay, each day they had to go back to their dental practice and leave her alone.

The day before Christmas, they told the nurse to allow Ron into the room. Hermione needed company, at least on Christmas Eve. Ron entered the room for the first time and knelt down next to her bed. He took her fragile hand in his and kissed her forehead. "Merlin, Mione… Why did you have to do this to me? This was supposed to be our first real Christmas together. Please don't leave me now. You've been so strong for as long as I've known you. You can't let a little thing like this beat you. C'mon, Hermione. Please…I need you Hermione…please, wake up. I love you."

Her eyes fluttered open at his words. She smiled at him, _actually smiled_ for the first time in two weeks. She had an invigorated look in her eyes as she leaned over to him. "I love you too, Ron."

--

On Christmas morning, as the Grangers entered the hospital, there was an air of sadness over them. Their daughter might never walk again. Along the way, they saw a young couple. The sweet young boy was helping the girl walk around. At least one couple was having a good Christmas. They made their way slowly to her room only to find it empty when they got there.

This was when they began to really worry. Where was she? What happened to their baby girl?

They rushed to the nurses' desk and demanded to know where their daughter was. The nurse simply gestured for them to turn around. Mrs. Granger's mouth dropped open when she saw Ron standing, facing Hermione, holding her hands to help her balance. She was taking small cautious steps, but she was walking.

She stumbled a bit, but Ron was right there to catch her. She looked up at him and laughed as he wrapped his lean arms around her waist.

Mrs. Granger's eyes welled up with tears as she saw this...her daughter was going to be all right after all.

Ron saw Mr. and Mrs. Granger looking, but he couldn't help it. He leaned over to Hermione and kissed her deeply. He didn't think he had ever been happier. He pulled her close, but not enough to hurt her heavily scarred back, and whispered, "Happy Christmas, Hermione. I love you."

That night, as the Grangers were putting their daughter to bed, her mother asked her how she had improved so much in so little time. Hermione smiled up at her mum and looked into the eyes that so much resembled her own. She didn't quite know how to explain it, so she simply said, "He loves me."

**Well, there you have it. The final chapter of Scoliosis. It might not seem like a big deal to you, but scoliosis really changed my life and writing this story helped me get through some of my recovery. Thanks to everyone who read this!**

**Please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


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